Love this club

Hull chairman Duffen: Bullard will be back

After announcing new signing Jimmy Bullard is out for the season, Hull City chairman Paul Duffen defended the club's signing of the ex-Fulham man and dismissed any fears the player's career may be over.

Duffen also insisted Bullard was put through a thorough medical before the deal was completed and that the new injury is unconnected to his past problems.

Duffen told Sky Sports News: "We have signed him for four-and-a-half years and the important thing now is we can look forward to welcoming Jimmy Bullard as a new signing all over again next season.

"When he came to the club, we obviously knew what his medical history was, but the MRI scans we went through showed there wasn't a problem with a former injury.

"It is definitely something, as was discovered by the surgeon, that is a new trauma. This is something that has happened since, during the game at West Ham.

"This isn't a career-ending injury, this is a setback. Cruciate reconstructions are quite routine now in football and he is in the hands of the best-renowned surgeon in the world.